University shines $2.6 billion ‘Brighter’

By News@TheU 07-10-2025

In a milestone achievement befitting of its centennial year, the University of Miami has raised more than $2.6 billion-surpassing all previous efforts in the most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history. This record achievement will power the next century of excellence-fueling groundbreaking research, bold academic innovation, and pioneering medical discoveries-with outcomes that will not only shape the University's future but also contribute to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges.

"Reaching this milestone during our centennial is both profound and inspiring. We are deeply grateful to every donor who believed in the future of the University of Miami," said Ever Brighter Campaign Chair Stuart A. Miller, executive chairman and co-CEO of Lennar Corporation as well as chair of the UHealth Board of Directors and trustee of the University of Miami. "This campaign is about more than a number-it is about the outcomes that philanthropy makes possible. It strengthens our commitment to academic excellence, world-class health care, and championship-level athletics, all of which play a vital role in building a stronger, more vibrant university.

"The campaign was designed to help solidify our place as a university that is truly ready for our second century. Thanks to donor generosity, we are better positioned than ever to lead, serve, and thrive for the next 100 years and beyond," Miller said.

With the final tally, Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century becomes the largest fundraising initiative of any private institution in Florida. The multiyear campaign also concluded seven months ahead of schedule.

"This is an incredible achievement and demonstrates how deeply people feel connected to the University," said Guillermo "Willy" Prado, interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. "Ever Brighter is fueling student success, academic and research distinction, and discoveries that will benefit society."

The numbers speak for themselves, noted Joshua M. Friedman, senior vice president for development and alumni relations. Ever Brighter garnered more than 470,000 gifts and pledges from over 160,000 donors. And the donations themselves were global in nature, pouring in from 98 countries in all, including from all 50 U.S. states and two territories.

"Our donors and our community care deeply for this great institution and are connected by their belief in what the U can achieve in the world," said Friedman. "Their generosity through Ever Brighter will elevate all corners of the University, supporting our students, our patients, our research, and our faculty. Their gifts will help us improve our facilities and our technology and increase our presence and reputation locally and globally."

Among the top priorities of the campaign were to increase the number of endowed positions, expand support for students and scholarships, and grow the University's endowment-all of which were accomplished and exceeded.

Through Ever Brighter, 113 new endowed positions, called Centennial Talents, were established, which will enable the University to attract and retain leading scholars whose teaching and research shape fields of study.

Among them is Benjamin Kirtman, a professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science and recipient of the William R. Middelthon III Endowed Chair of Earth Sciences. Kirtman, who studies the predictability and variability of the Earth's climate system, explained: "This is an incredibly important time for research in earth sciences," he said. "This is an opportunity to do high-risk, high payoff science that has a direct local relevance."

More than $280 million was raised for student support, including scholarships that are opening doors for talented students to attend the U and pursue their education without limitations.

Grecia Dianel Rivera Carrasquillo, a 2024 graduate of the Frost School of Music, dreamed of becoming a Latin singer-songwriter and recording artist. Last year, she released her debut Latin pop single, "Hipérbole."

"Scholarship support gave me that opportunity and has changed my life," she said.

The campaign secured $689 million in new commitments to the endowment-ensuring the University's long-term financial stability and commitment to excellence.

Ever Brighter also set a new record for $1 million-plus commitments, receiving more than 440. Leading the way was the largest individual gift in the University's history-a $126 million anonymous gift to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in honor of its director, Dr. Stephen Nimer.

Other major gifts included:

• A transformative $100 million gift from longtime benefactors Phillip and Patricia Frost established the 94,000-square-foot Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science. It is the first within a group of synergistic research institutes to be coordinated under the umbrella of the Frost Institutes for Science and Engineering.
• Philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin's $50 million gift to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in South Florida, is making a new transformational research facility a reality. The 12-story, 244,000-square-foot Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building, slated to open this year, will double the Medical Campus's research footprint, accelerate efforts to develop new therapies, enhance care for patients, and expand access to clinical trials.
• In a testament to their enduring love for their alma mater, Patti and Allan Herbert made a transformative legacy gift during the Ever Brighter campaign that will continue to shape the University for generations to come. Patti passed away in 2020, followed by Allan in 2025.
• The Miller family made many significant gifts across the University, supporting the health system, including Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the academy, from the Frost School of Music and the School of Law, to athletics, scholarships, research, and endowed positions, including the Miller Centennial Chair-the most prestigious of the Centennial Talents.
• Thanks to a generous naming gift from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Frost School of Music's new 25,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Knight Center for Music Innovation showcases next-generation features that allow students, faculty members, and visiting artists to experiment, explore, and develop new modalities in musical performance.
• A $20 million gift from the Desai Sethi Family Foundation established the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the Miller School of Medicine-propelling the University among the nation's leading centers for urologic disease research and treatment.
• Angel Alvarez-a proud University of Miami alumnus and founder of the ABB Optical Group-and his family provided seed funding for the University Student Startup Accelerator (USTAAR), which is helping student-entrepreneurs bring their ideas from concept to the marketplace-and making the University a destination for the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs.
• Through Ever Brighter, the University has strengthened its leadership in STEM with the launch of the Institute of the Mathematical Sciences of the Americas. Established with generous support from the Simons Foundation, the center focuses on fostering collaborative research projects throughout the Americas and sharing those results with the global mathematical and scientific community.
• Athletics was also the beneficiary of several million-dollar gifts, including a naming gift from the Soffer family for the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility as well as gifts for facility renovations, women's athletics, and Olympic sports.

Another standout result of Ever Brighter is the 564,512 total square footage of new space added to the University's three campuses.

While major gifts helped Ever Brighter exceed its goal, it was the consistent support from thousands of donors-with a median size gift of just $50-that powered the campaign's success and built a strong pipeline for future growth, Friedman said.

"While larger gifts often receive the spotlight, this campaign was truly a collective effort. Nearly 90 percent of all contributions were $1,000 or less, which is a powerful reflection of the broad support that has come together to elevate the U to new heights," Friedman said.

The success of Ever Brighter signals a bold new chapter for the University as it embarks on its next 100 years-poised to lead and shape the future for generations to come.

Read more on how Ever Brighter is making an impact.

Ever Brighter by the numbers:

$2.658 billion

Fundraising total

6.3%

Percentage over the campaign goal

443

Number of gifts over $1 million

472,793

Total number of gifts

107,255

Total number of first-time donors

113

Total number of Centennial Talents

564,512

Total square footage of new space added to campuses during the campaign